Boater missing after sail boat sinks in San Francisco waters

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Coast Guard was continuing to search for a missing mariner after a sailboat sank early Monday near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Authorities did not release the identity of the missing boater.

The National Park Service, the Southern Marin Dive Team and San Francisco marine unit personnel have been searching the water off Kirby Cove, near the Golden Gate Bridge, for one person since the call came in about 4:15 a.m. said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Junior Grade Sean Kelly.

"We have no plans of discontinuing the search," Kelly said Monday afternoon.

The Coast Guard received an emergency radio distress signal from the Alma, a 30-foot sailing vessel, and a search by water and air was launched. The vessel was found partially submerged on the rocks in Yellow Bluff, east of the bridge.

Kelly said authorities believe only the boat operator was on board at the time of the distress call, but was not still aboard when the boat sank.

"We are using every asset available to locate any possible persons in distress," said Cmdr. Donald Montoro, chief of response for the Coast Guard's San Francisco Sector.

Anyone with information on the Alma or its operator should contact the San Francisco Command Center at 415-399-3520.